1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a container and dispenser for holding and dispensing needles. More particularly, the invention is a container and dispenser for the holding and the sterile dispensing of acupuncture needles.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of needles in the medical field is very common. Traditionally, acupuncture needles are provided with guide tubes, with the needles being threaded through the guide tubes before being used. The repeated use of guide tubes for threading needles fails to maintain sterility to the needles. Currently, acupuncture needles are available in blister packages, which provide sterility to the needles but are inconvenient and time consuming to use. The related art outlines the storage and dispensing of acupuncture needles and other types of needles.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0040767 published on Feb. 27, 2003, outlines the use of an acupuncture device with an acupuncture needle and guide tube having a transverse, preferably V-shaped slot through a tube wall. The slot is formed in the upper part of the guide tube and is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the tube. The handle of the needle is firmly secured inside the guide tube by a small elongated stopper made of an elastic material such as plastic or thick paper, which is inserted into the V-shaped slot of the guide tube and squeezes the needle handle between its end and the inner wall of the tube opposite to the V-shaped slot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,384 issued to Tarello et al. on May 21, 1985, outlines the use of a medicament discharging device and an expandable clip thereon containing a plurality of medicament cartridges. Each of the cartridges have a container, a dosage of medicament in the container, a hypodermic needle sealingly contained in a sterile condition in cooperating relation with the container and a movable wall at one end of the container operable when moved through a discharging stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,938 issued to Kaye et al. on Jul. 30, 1985, outlines the use of an implanter device adapted for insertion of a solid or semi-solid pellet form medicament into a domestic animal and to an encasement containing a multiplicity of dosage unit pellets of the medicament. The encasement is specifically adapted for use in the implanter device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,035 issued to Grimm et al. on Aug. 7, 1990, outlines the use of a medicament implanter system with a single use needle pre-charged with medicament, a cartridge wherein a multiplicity of pre-charged needles may be packaged and an implanter applicator instrument adapted to remove a pre-charged needle into the cartridge. The applicator instrument is constructed so that a needle positioned therein is locked in a properly oriented position for expulsion of the medicament upon operation of an impeller, which forms part of the applicator instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,914 issued to Choi on Jul. 14, 1992, outlines the use of a combination container and dispenser and insertion tube for acupuncture needles that provides for the sterile storage, containment, dispensing and insertion of acupuncture needles. A storage portion of the container/dispenser is formed with an insertion tube along one edge and an internal passage between the two components.
Although each of these patents and publications outline the use of novel and useful devices, what is really needed is a container and dispenser for acupuncture needles that is both easy to use and provides for sterile acupuncture needles. Such a device would have a great demand and be well-received in the marketplace.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a acupuncture needle container and inserter solving the aforementioned problems is desired.